Livid vs MediaZilla: The Best Alternative to Livid When You Need to Sell and Deliver Films
By MediaZillaUpdated
Switch from Livid
Host, deliver, and sell your films in one place with zero platform commission.
Livid is affordable, ad-free video hosting, but it has no built-in checkout, no listed TV apps or DRM, and meters bandwidth past its monthly allowance. MediaZilla hosts, delivers, and sells in one place with zero platform commission, native TV apps, DRM, and lifetime buyer access.
Do You Need Hosting or a Storefront?
Livid has grown quickly in 2026 as a friendly, low-cost answer to Vimeo's price increases. For a lot of creators, that is exactly what they wanted: somewhere ad-free and affordable to put their videos.
But filmmakers leaving Vimeo usually need more than a new home for files. With Vimeo On Demand closed, many of them lost the way they sold films, not just where they stored them.
So the real question is simple. Do you need a place to host and embed video, or a place where people pay for, receive, and watch your films?
Livid: What It Does Well and Where It Stops
Where Livid Genuinely Works
Livid is inexpensive and straightforward. The Free plan includes 1GB of storage. Pro costs $10 per month billed annually with 2TB of storage, player customization, watermark removal, and a custom logo. Premium costs $24 per month billed annually with 4TB and five team seats.
For portfolio reels, trailers, website backgrounds, and marketing embeds, that is very good value.
Where Livid Stops
No way to sell.Livid's plans do not list a paywall, pay-per-view, rentals, or subscriptions. To charge for a film, you bolt on a checkout tool such as Gumroad, then manage buyers and access in two places.
Bandwidth is metered.Livid's FAQ sets a monthly bandwidth allowance and bills 6 cents per GB beyond it. A film that gets shared widely costs more to stream.
A player, not a release. Viewers get an embedded player. There are no interactive menus, scene selection, or buyer library.
No TV apps or listed DRM.Livid's plans do not list native TV apps or DRM. That is fine for marketing video. It is a gap for paid films people want to watch on the living room TV.
| Capability | Livid | MediaZilla |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Low-cost, ad-free video hosting and embeds | Delivering and selling finished films |
| Selling video | No built-in checkout; needs a third-party tool | Built-in checkout, zero platform commission |
| Bandwidth | Monthly allowance, then $0.06/GB | Included in the subscription |
| Viewer experience | Embeddable player | Branded interactive menus and scene selection |
| TV apps | Not listed | Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, Android TV, iOS, Android |
| Content protection | Privacy settings; DRM not listed | DRM, download blocking, device limits |
| Buyer accounts and support | No buyer accounts | Buyer accounts, lifetime access, direct viewer support |
MediaZilla: What Changes When You Switch
Selling Is Built In
One-time purchases, rentals, and subscriptions run through MediaZilla's native checkout with zero platform commission. Buyer accounts, access, and purchase history live in the same place as the video.
A Premium Release, Not an Embed
Interactive Netflix-style menus, scene selection, and multi-film presentations make a paid film feel worth the price, and make it easy for viewers to find their moment.
Every Screen, Including the TV
Buyers watch on the web, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku, and Android TV, with streaming included in the subscription.
Protection and Lifetime Access
DRM encryption, download blocking, and device limits protect paid films. Buyers keep access even if you cancel, and MediaZilla supports viewers directly when they have trouble logging in.
The Cost Comparison
Livid is cheaper as pure hosting. The comparison changes once you need to sell. Here is the blog's standard scenario: 300 sales at $40, for $12,000 a year, with Livid Pro plus Gumroad as the checkout.
| $12,000 in sales (300 × $40) | Livid Pro + Gumroad | MediaZilla |
|---|---|---|
| Platform subscription | $120 (Livid Pro) | $438 |
| Checkout / commission | $1,200 (Gumroad 10%) | $0 platform commission |
| Card processing | Extra, on the checkout tool | $438 (Stripe) |
| Total annual cost | $1,320+ | $876 |
| Net take-home | Under $10,680 (89%) | $11,124 (92.70%) |
On Livid: hosting costs only $120 a year, but the checkout takes 10% of every sale, or $1,200, before card processing. You keep less than $10,680 and run two systems.
On MediaZilla: $438 a year, zero commission, about $438 in Stripe processing. You keep $11,124, or 92.70%, in one system.
Who Should Stay on Livid
- You only need to host and embed video on your own website.
- Your videos are free to watch: reels, trailers, marketing clips.
- Budget is the deciding factor and you never charge for access.
If you sell films, deliver to paying clients, or want viewers on their TVs, MediaZilla covers what Livid leaves out.
How to Move Paid Films from Livid to MediaZilla
Step 1. Decide What Moves
Keep free marketing embeds on Livid if you like. Move paid films and client deliveries to MediaZilla.
Step 2. Export Buyers from Your Checkout Tool
Export customer emails and purchase history from Gumroad or whichever tool you used, so past buyers keep access.
Step 3. Set Up and Test MediaZilla
Upload your films, build menus and artwork, connect Stripe, and buy access yourself once. Test playback on desktop, mobile, and a TV app.
Step 4. Switch Links and Tell Buyers
Replace old checkout links with MediaZilla links, import past buyers, and send them a short note that their films now play on their TV.
Frequently Asked Questions About Livid vs MediaZilla
What is the main difference between Livid and MediaZilla?
How much does Livid cost?
Can I sell videos on Livid?
Does Livid have TV apps?
Is Livid a good Vimeo alternative?
Should I use Livid and MediaZilla together?
Featured Resource
Migrate from Vimeo On Demand before November 20
Apply for a free MediaZilla migration spot. Approved libraries move in 14 days - or we pay you $1,000.
Apply for free migration
